Tokyo 24th Ward – Episode 1
This episode lost and won my trust probably about six times in the course of 48-minutes, and I’m still not sure what to think of it beyond a general “alright, I’m listening.”
Posts by Vrai Kaiser
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RUMBLE GARANNDOLL – Episode 1
It’s a by-the-numbers mish-mash of heavy-handed homages that also has cute mini-mecha designs and a fair bit of heart. It sits squarely in the subgenre of “rah rah otaku culture” that’s remained a crowd-pleaser ever since Otaku no Video pioneered it in the 80s—people love to see themselves on TV. For mechs this season, you could very much do worse.
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Platinum End – Episode 1
There are two major things that Platinum End has in common with previous Ohba/Obata manga. One, it captures the feeling of railing for the first time at an unjust society in a way that rings powerfully true if you’re in Shonen Jump’s 13-17 target demographic (physically or emotionally) and then gets increasingly shaky with added age and perspective; and two, it hates women just so very much.
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The Fruit of Evolution: Before I Knew It, My Life Had It Made – Episode 1
It’s just….so boring.
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AMAIM Warrior at the Borderline – Episode 1
Put on your earmuffs, because we’re headed square into dogwhistle territory.
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The vampire dies in no time – Episode 1
The vampire dies in no time is no-holds-barred slapstick comedy. It’s a pretty good example of the genre, too, if you’re down for something manic.
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Digimon Ghost Game – Episode 1
If one good thing came out of Adventure 2020, it’s that it inspired Toei to take a chance on this series.
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Irina: The Vampire Cosmonaut – Episode 1
It’s the kind of thinly envisioned alternate universe that more or less directly replicates real history while stapling exactly one speculative element on top. But by the end, I was surprised to find it had won me over for at least another episode or two.
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Muteking the Dancing Hero – Episode 1
This is the sort of show people describe as “out there,” one that requires a certain tolerance for wacky hijinks and an appreciation of creators gleefully stacking concepts on top of one another because…well, why not? Have you ever seen a show about rollerblading DJ tokusatsu heroes before? Well, there you are.
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The Night Beyond the Tricornered Window – Episode 1
BL and yuri fans, I think you all know how we roll the dice when the word “adaptation” comes around. For every given or Bloom into You that marries skilled adaptation with beautiful art direction, there’s an Otherside Picnic or No. 6 that struggles despite quality source material. Tricornered Window’s first episode unfortunately falls squarely into the latter camp, but its premise is solid enough to win out over its stiff production for now.
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Jujutsu Kaisen star Anne Yatco on the fight for casting equity and what shounen can learn from Nobara
Anne Yatco is a longtime actor with a varied and fascinating career. She entered the world of acting after spending four years as a full-time forensic scientist, worked with the all-WOC sketch group BAE*GENCY, and co-starred on the Grey’s Anatomy spinoff Station 19. She’s recently pivoted primarily to working in voiceover, where she’s best known for playing Nobara in the English Jujutsu Kaisen dub.
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Suzie Yeung, FF7 Remake actor, discusses recording during the pandemic, her dream anime role, and voicing Koito
Vrai sat down with Suzie at Otakon 2021 to talk about working during the pandemic and her recent roles, including the much-maligned Koito of Wonder Egg Priority.
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Sonny Boy – Episode 1
A take on being “transported” that leans into Lord of the Flies-style horror? Yes, please.
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Mother of the Goddess’ Dormitory – Episode 1
Twenty minutes of a group of college students molesting a 12-year-old.
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The Duke of Death and His Maid – Episode 1
There’s a world where this is a very good anime. But there’s a pervasive “not quite”ness that the episode can’t claw free from, and all of its elements fall just short of being satisfying.
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Kageki Shojo!! – Episode 1
While this first episode doesn’t make the most dazzling debut, it does have a few glints of what make this story special
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Girlfriend, Girlfriend – Episode 1
The fact that Girlfriend, Girlfriend’s premise hinges on open communication rather than noncommittal waffling or outright cheating definitely caught my eye, but did it pull it off? Well…
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The Case Study of Vanitas – Episode 1
Look, let’s be honest about how this will go. It’s an exquisite-looking BONES anime with vampires, homoeroticism, and liberal use of paper cutout-style aesthetics. Also, I read the manga.
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My Fave is Problematic: Samurai Flamenco
No one has ever asked whether Samurai Flamenco is good, because the question is a loud and simultaneous “no” and “yes.” But the question of whether it “counts” as queer romance has waged on for eight exhausting years now. Incidentally: yes, it does.
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CESTVS -The Roman Fighter- – Episode 1
On paper, this premiere is heavy stuff. Fortunately, it’s all portrayed with such staggering incompetence that the brutality lands with the impact of a discarded tissue.
